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Fight to raise funds for cancer drug

Laura Loftus has to pay out almost £1000 a week for a cancer drug - which she says is prolonging her life. Her friends have launched a fundraising bid to help her pay for Avastin, which she cannot get on the NHS

£1,000 a week for cancer drug: NHS England defends decision not to prescribe

While Laura Loftus from Leeds says each case for being given the drug Avastin should be judged on a case-by-case basis, the NHS governing body says this is not how it works.

Laura says the drug is extending her life and pays out almost £1,000 a week for it.

"When the decision is taken that a treatment is not of benefit for an individual we understand how distressing this can be. The decision is however based on whether the treatment will be effective and benefit the individual.

“There is an opportunity for the patient and their clinician to appeal against the process.

"Appeals can only take into account any new clinical information that has not been previously considered, and which could have influenced the outcome of the decision, or if there is any doubt about the actual process through which the case has been considered.

"If this happened this would be considered by a new independent Appeals Panel led by the regional medical director.”